Netmen Fall Short on Spring Trip

Spring Break 1992 did not go according to plan for the Harvard men's tennis team.

Crippled by injuries to three players, the Crimson saw a golden opportunity to make its presence felt on the national scene go to waste.

The results: A close victory, 5-4, over Southern Methodist University, followed by a thrashing at the hands of second-ranked Texas Christian University, 0-9. Then, at the Blue-Gray Classic at Montgomery, Al., the team earned a victory against Auburn, 6-3, but suffered two consecutive losses to 13th-ranked North Carolina, 6-0, and 16th-ranked Miami, 4-2.

"We aren't exactly thrilled with our play over spring break," senior Derek Brown said. "Now that we are ranked pretty high, there are a lot teams gunning for us, and with these key injuries, we couldn't do it."

The Crimson had headed South hoping to give TCU a fight, and then perhaps knock off a couple of top teams at the Blue-Gray Classic.

"The Classic was a very big tournament for us, since we got a chance to play against the best line-ups in the country, senior Albert Chang said. "It's unfortunate that we couldn't do well."

Coach Dave Fish couldn't have agreed with Chang and Brown more.

"I definitely would have liked to have seen us do better, and I am disappointed," Fish said. "But we were playing the best teams in the country, and we were injured."

The injuries were to senior Co-Captain Mike Shyjan and freshmen Andrew Rueb and Umesha Wallooppillai. They were replaced by "B" team players senior John Burke and junior Peter Stovell.

"We actually saw some great performances from Burke and Stovell, as well as [sophomores] Ian Williams and Marshall Burroughs," Fish said. "They were very tough, and won some great matches."

Rueb was able to play in the Blue-Gray Classic, and should be back at full strength in time for Harvard's season opener against Columbia on April 10. Shyjan is also back at practice, but is questionable for the season opener. Wallooppillai, who has a hand injury, is out indefinitely.

In spite of all this, Fish remains optimistic about the team's future.

"We are still in the learning process," Fish said, "and we are getting stronger as a team with each outing. We really supported each other out there."

Fish went on to emphasize the importance of team unity.

"Playing at this level is a very intense experience," Fish said, "but playing just as individuals doesn't get it done."

"Playing as a team means that, even if you lose 6-0, 6-0, you still go back and root for your teammates," Fish continued. "It takes a lot of discipline for the players, but that's what we're asking of them."